Wisconsin energy regulators are scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss whether to approve We Energies' plan to build a natural gas lateral pipeline in west-central Wisconsin.

The $150 million to $170 million project would link Tomah and Eau Claire and is designed to serve the growing sand mining industry in the state, as well as requests from communities to provide natural gas for home heating.

The PSC is scheduled to discuss the project at its meeting Wednesday in Madison.

Many rural parts of Wisconsin rely on propane for heat and were hit hard by rising propane prices when supply disruptions, a late corn-drying season and an early onset of winter weather drove up prices of propane.

The Milwaukee utility is proposing to build the 85-mile project next year, if it's approved. In its rate increase application filed with the Public Service Commission, the utility said customers of Wisconsin Gas would see increases of 3.3% in local natural gas charges next year, and another 3.3% in 2016, tied to the project.

The conservation group Clean Wisconsin says the utility hasn't demonstrated that the pipeline won't cause environmental impacts along the route. The group also questioned whether the utility has justified that the project is needed, when an existing pipeline system operated by Northern Natural Gas is also available to serve the area and could be expanded.

About Thomas Content

Thomas Content covers energy, clean technology and sustainable business. A series he co-wrote on energy and climate change won top honors in 2008 from the National Press Foundation.

Energy Business News

EnSync Energy Systems has shipped a utility-scale energy storage system to South Korea, the Menomonee Falls company said.

The 500-kilowatt-hour system incorporates enough battery power for four or more hours of discharge, using EnSync’s zinc bromide flow batteries as well as power electronics and converters.

Formerly known as ZBB Energy, EnSync is focused on smaller energy storage systems for commercial buildings such as projects it's built in Hawaii in recent years. But it's also been working on larger energy storage systems.